Regional Planning Efforts

• Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Forum
• Regional Alliances
• Regional Research Planning Efforts

Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Forum

Regional Alliances

The Great Lakes Commission

The Great Lakes Commission was organized in 1955 and includes member states Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and associate members Ontario and Quebec.  Initially an economic alliance in nature, the environmental restoration of this coastal fresh water resource has become more important, gaining increased national attention and emerging as a priority for the Obama administration.  In 2007, a new vision for the region was developed to carry the its strategic goals through 2012.  The Commission's strategic plan focuses on communication and education, information integration and reporting, facilitation and consensus building, and policy coordination and advocacy.   Major issues of focus for the region include water quality, toxic sediment clean up, invasive species and fish and wildlife habitat restoration.  The Great Lakes Informational Network was created to to coordinate information into a regional database, thereby supporting the efforts of the Commission. [http://www.glc.org/] 

Gulf of Mexico Alliance

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance was established in 2006 between Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.  This alliance was created to address issues that are regional in nature in order to facilitate a more coordinated response that will benefit the regional ecosystem.  Its outlined areas of emphasis are water quality for healthy beaches and shellfish beds, wetland and coastal conservation and restoration, environmental education, identification and characterization of Gulf habitats, reductions in nutrient inputs to coastal ecosystems and coastal community resiliency.  The Governors’ Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts details eleven action items designed to accomplish short-term tangible results within a three year window with periodic accomplishment reports. The plan will be revisited in 2009 and a new three year plan will be implemented.  The Alliance is looking to expand its ecosystem-based management capacity by coordinating its efforts with Mexico and the Caribbean States. [http://gulfofmexicoalliance.org/] 

Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO)

Five mid-Atlantic states (New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) created the Governors' Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) in 2009.  This agreement is aimed at protecting shared coastal waters and ocean resources, and addressing regional issues of concern to the coastal and ocean waters of the Mid-Atlantic.  Recognizing the regional nature of coastal challenges, the Council seeks to develop an ecosystem-based management approach to face present and future threats to the ocean and coastal areas of the Mid-Atlantic.  Four areas of priority were identified by the Council.  These are: 1) Coordinating protection of important habitats and sensitive and unique offshore areas on a regional scale; 2) Promoting improvements in the region’s coastal water quality as a necessary focal point for regional action; 3) Collaborating on a regional approach to support the sustainable development of renewable energy in offshore areas; and 4) Preparing the region’s coastal communities for the impacts of climate change. [http://www.midatlanticocean.org/] 

Northeast Regional Ocean Council

This council was formed in 2005 as an alliance between Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. Its role is to coordinate a regional set of goals in order to respond to issues that are inherently regional in nature. It has outlined four issue areas on which to focus its efforts: 1) Ocean and coastal ecosystem health; 2) Coastal hazard resilience; 3) Ocean energy planning; and 4) Management and maritime security.  In 2007, the Council released its Coast and Ocean Action Plan, outlining its four priority issue areas and the steps to be taken at the regional level to address transboundary threats and areas of concern. [http://community.csc.noaa.gov/nroc/]

The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment

The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment was established in 1989 and includes Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  The mission of the Council is to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine to allow for sustainable resource use by present and future generations.  The focus of this council can be summarized using three categories:1) Protect and restore habitats; 2) Foster environmental and human health; and 3) Support vibrant communities.[http://www.gulfofmaine.org/] 

The South Atlantic Alliance

The South Atlantic Alliance was formed in 2008 between Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.  These states are coordinating their efforts towards healthy ecosystems, working waterfronts, clean coastal and ocean waters, and disaster resilient communities. The alliance seeks to coordinate its efforts with existing regional efforts.  Population growth and declining fisheries have visibly altered the marine environment in the southeast, and the alliance hopes to leverage regional funds to promote stewardship of the ecosystem and restore the marine habitat. [http://www.safmc.net/Portals/6/Meetings/Council/BriefingBook/March09/HabEco/Attach9JtHabEcoCommFINALSAALLIANCE%20FRAMEWORK.pdf]

West Coast Governor's Agreement

The West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health, initiated in 2006, has united the three west coast states of California, Oregon and Washington.  The agreement focuses on clean coastal waters and beaches, healthy ocean and coastal habitats, and effective ecosystem-based management.  A joint letter signed by the governors of these three states was sent to Congress and the President establishing their opposition to oil and gas exploration and development in west coast waters in support of the region’s goal of reducing the impacts of offshore energy development. Increased ocean awareness and literacy among the region’s citizens, and sustainable economic development of coastal communities are priorities of the Agreement that coordinate and guide regional efforts into the future.  The goal of expanding ocean and coastal scientific research and monitoring is being addressed by the formation of the West Coast Sea Grant Research Plan. In 2009, a draft report was released detailing eight draft work plans developed by representatives from each of the three states. The eight issues identified were: Climate Change; Polluted Runoff; Marine Debris; Spartina Eradication; Renewable Ocean Energy; Ocean Awareness and Literacy; Seafloor Mapping; and Sediment Management. Each workplan details the efforts that are possible within current funding and specific goals that could be met with additional funding. [http://westcoastoceans.gov/] 

Regional Research Planning Efforts

Alaska Regional Marine Research Plan

The Alaska Sea Grant Program has been developing the Aleutian Islands Ecosystem Research and Information Plan, a five year project that began in 2006, which seeks to prioritize management-critical research and information needs for the region.  The plan will address the interdisciplinary (ecology, oceanography, fisheries, social, economic) ecosystem needs for this region of vital importance to the state of Alaska and the nation.  It is anticipated that this planning effort will serve as a model for the future development and implementation of other Alaskan regional marine research plans, and ultimately a comprehensive statewide marine research and information plan.   [http://seagrant.uaf.edu/research/projects/initiatives/marine_research_plan/general/]

The Great Lakes Regional Research Information Network

The Great Lakes Regional Research Information Network (GLRRIN) was created as a network mechanism for government, academic, and private research programs in the Great Lakes region.  Funded in June 2006 by NOAA Sea Grant, GLRRIN was designed to foster research coordination within the Great Lakes region by enhancing communications and collaboration among agencies and research scientists.  Each of the Great Lakes has appointed a Coordination Team to coordinate research activities. [http://www.glrrin.info/]

The Gulf of Maine Regional Ocean Science Plan

In an effort to improve integrated, science-based, ecosystem-level management in the Gulf of Maine, the Gulf of Maine Regional Ocean Science Council created the Gulf of Mexico Regional Ocean Science Plan (ROSP) in 2009. Stakeholder identified issues were assessed using four criteria in order to maintain a focus on regional ecosystem based management: 1) Relevance to the region; 2) Societal importance; 3) Level of informational support to managers and decision makers; and 4) Whether research supports ecosystem based management.  Issues were consolidated into five categories: Climate Change and the Role of Oceans; Human Health and the Oceans; Human Activities and the Oceans; Coastal Resiliency; and Management and Governance. The plan is flexible, evolving as the environment changes and funding resources are identified, and complementary to other research efforts in the area.  The Gulf of Maine Strategic Regional Ocean Science Plan was released in February 2009 and can be viewed online at: [http://seagrant.mit.edu/rosi/draft_final_rosp.pdf] 

Gulf of Mexico Regional Marine Research Plan

The four Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant programs (Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi-Alabama, and Texas) developed the Gulf of Mexico Research Plan in September 2009 through an intensive, stakeholder-driven process.  Stakeholder input was elicited through the use of a survey and stakeholder workshops.  The highest-rated Gulf of Mexico research priorities were identified as follows: Ecosystem Health Indicators; Freshwater Input and Hydrology; Habitats and Living Resources; Sea Level Change, Subsidence, and Storm Surge; and Water Quality and Nutrients.  The developers of the plan now seek to draft an implementation plan in pursuit of the research needs as identified in the Gulf of Mexico Research Plan. [http://www.masgc.org/gmrp/index.htm] 

South Atlantic Regional Research Project

Sea Grant Programs from the South Atlantic region (NC, SC, GA, FL) are working together to identify priority regional research needs and develop an action plan to address these needs. The project involves coordination with NOAA laboratories, state and federal agencies, and academic partners, as well as participation from politicians, industry representatives, and other stakeholders from throughout the region.  The approach of the project is to construct a needs assessment that will be used as the basis for identification of priority research needs, and then establish technical strategy teams with appropriate expertise to develop draft action plans that address each priority.  The project has established a Regional Advisory Group with high-level representation from each part of the region to help guide the project and ensure that it is well-coordinated with other efforts.  Public input is being solicited through the use of a survey and a focused outreach effort. [http://www.gcrc.uga.edu/SARRP.htm] 

West Coast Regional Research and Information Planning

Sea Grant programs in Washington, Oregon, and California released the West Coast Regional Marine Research and Information Needs report in 2009, which stems from nearly three years of public comment, interstate collaboration and analysis involving stakeholders representing private and public interests in all three states.  The report is intended to assist regional researchers and information providers to plan and prioritize, and to mobilize regional-scale initiatives and investments in natural and social science research that might provide the best possible science for well-informed policy and resource-management decisions.  The report identifies a set of three "Cross-cutting Themes" and eight "Research and Information Topics".  Each of the identified topics is linked with related points from the West Coast Governor's Agreement on Ocean Health.  [http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/research/RegionalPlanning/index.html]